112 little boxes.

I’ve never been one to really follow a schedule. I mean, I go to school when they tell me to, show up to work when I’m supposed to, but other than that, my adult life has always tended to be a free for all. Our first born easily followed suit. From the day he was born, he never followed a schedule. Slept when he felt like it, ate when he was hungry, filled his diaper when he got around to it. The result was a carefree, go-with-the-flow baby. It’s very nice knowing we could go out for the day and not worry about having to find a place to stop and eat lunch at exactly 12:15, or worry that the trip to the aquarium might interrupt nap time and result in a miserable, screaming baby. On the flip side, the variability from day to day would often end up in a going-to- bed time range of anywhere between 7 pm and 3 am.

Baby #2 on the other hand, has put HIMSELF on a strict schedule, and if you don’t feed this kid or put him down for nap according to HIS schedule, you better watch yourself. I’m not kidding, this adorable little toddler can morph into a vicious gremlin if you feed him 30 seconds past his deemed appropriate mealtime, according to HIS schedule. But on the flip side, knowing that he will go to bed at 8:15 every night without any fuss is fantastic (whether or not he stays asleep is another story, for another post). And nothing beats not having to worry about a diaper explosion mid shopping trip, because little man takes care of his business at 8:00 am every morning, without fail.

Following a schedule results in predictability. Sometimes this is good, sometimes this is bad. Following a training schedule in running results in predictability. You know you can run a set distance at a set pace, because you’ve followed your training schedule (things such as weather and race day stomach issues do not count in this theory! )

So really, it should be no surprise that my four incredibly unpredictable, not close to what I’d hoped they’d be marathons are the result of not following a training plan.

Sure, I always started out with the best of intentions. And sort of based my long runs (the ones I got around to) around a set plan. But the speed work, tempo runs, and cross training? Free for all. I did what I did when I could, and called it a day. My mileage always ended up being a fraction of what it should have been.

The truth is, I aspire to follow a training plan from start to finish. I want to be able to look proudly at the calendar on the wall full of big black X’s through every day. I wonder what a difference it will make to my running, to have followed a plan and put in the mileage I was supposed to? I imagine it will make a significant difference. After all, that’s why people follow these things, right?

So this morning, after making my week late 2010 New Year’s resolution to follow a freaking schedule for once in my life (while taking everything in stride of course), I sat down with Rowen’s Crayola notepad, a pen, and made this bad boy. 16 weeks of F.I.R.S.T marathon training, ending in the Vermont City Marathon on Memorial Day weekend. It is hung on the door of the office/game room/playroom for the world to see. Well, at least for me and the plethora of Fisher Price toys.

I’m using the “4:00:00 Boston plan” from the book “Run Less, Run Faster”. Yes, I realize my BQ time is a 3:40, but 4:00 is what my sights are currently set on. Actually a 3:59:00 but they don’t have that in the plan, haha. I can run a 22:xx 5k, a sub 2 hour half marathon, so darn it I need to prove to myself that I am NOT a 5 hour marathoner (not that there is anything wrong with 5 hours!). My very first marathon was a 4:37, and the last three in a row were well into the 5 hour range. I know I can do better, I know I have it in me.

I want this.

It’s a 3 days a week running program, with 3 days of cross training (or in my case, triathlon training!) and one day off. And with my brand new black magic marker in hand, I am committed to getting it done and crossing off those boxes. Starting February 8th of course 🙂

Comments

yayy!!! Vermont city!! Such an awesome course. You will love it!!! And I hope you’re a fan of ben and jerrys cause you get free ice cream at the expo and after the race! Can’t wait to see how you do with both the training plan and the race!

I find I stick to things better if they are laid out in front of me to see – so good plan with the chart! As for my kids, my little guy is a huge schedule kid and boy oh boy has it allowed me to keep my sanity. I’m a big believer in scheduling…both for babies and running! Happy training!

I love following a schedule! I actually put mine month by month on the fridge and highlight the workouts that I do. Blue is running, green is biking, and yellow is swimming. Yes..I know…I’m a complete type A organizer freak, but it gets the job done! Good luck with your schedule…you’ll love seeing the black checks!!!

Ha, ha that’s so cool about not following a schedule. My job forces me to do so but I’d rather not and running marathons/ultras has also made me more schedule-focused but it doesn’t come naturally and I LOVE switching it up and breaking the rules some days! By the way, the less is more book you’re reading is wonderful and I qualified for Boston with the schedule. Good luck with it!

Wow…good for you! I wish I were more “un” scheduled, as my personality tends to be too much so. Well, I hope the schedule leads you to your goal. If it doesn’t, then maybe your unscheduled nature is the way to go!

You always make me laugh. I wish I could be laid-back about life but I’m such a planner and organizer – I HAVE to have a training plan! I’m on week 2 of a 16 week Boston plan which I have to rearrange already cuz the weight training isn’t working where I need it to. Oh well. I love your plan in crayon form! Good luck!!!

Good luck! I hear following a schedule for you “non-scheduler” girls is rough (I’m a TOTAL scheduler) but you’ll get the hang of it and before you know it, you’ll be checking that thing before you make plans for ANYthing else! 🙂

I’m more of a plan-less free-for-all type person myself. I have all the intentions in the world of following through, but I always end up “customizing” things as I feel appropriate :)I really like that run less run faster program. I got a HM PR with it! Best of luck with the program!

I love this blog; I love reading that a someone who has completed 4 marathons has the same training stumbles I do, and I’m just starting training again after baby #2. I love being care free and go with the flow but I too wonder what it would be to follow a schedule… maybe I will be motivated?!

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Meet Heather

I'm Heather, mom of two, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, and an overzealous athlete who cannot focus on a single discipline, so I train for all of them at the same time. When in doubt, I run...and then write about it. Read More…

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